Holistic Approach to the Mediterranean Architectural Heritage at risk of abandonment: the case study of Montalbano Elicona (Italy)

Abstract

A conceptual and methodological renewal is needed in the field of formation, transformation and management of the built environment. This need also concerns the architectural heritage, a non-renewable resource threatened by various types of risk factors, including abandonment. A similar phenomenon (intended as a lack of usage, which leaves room for improper or harmful utilization) is juxtaposed with overuse (intended as too intense and continuous a usage), which today is even more unacceptable, due to the need for social distancing as part of the containment measures of COVID-19. There is a wide and varied case history regarding abandonment, with reference to possible causes and consequences. Some intrinsic factors (stratification, heterogeneity) and contextual (geo-political structure and financial crisis; territorial imbalances; overlap with the ordinary built environment, etc.) increase the risk threatening the Mediterranean architectural heritage; this is connected to the multifaceted cultural identity of this area and a consequence of long-term factors, in which natural and anthropic aspects are interlinked. New or aggravating challenges place even more emphasis on the theme of the sustainable use of the architectural heritage, rooted in the culture of conservation ever since its inception and in a state of constant evolution. The paper proposes the village of Montalbano Elicona, with its wealth of remarkable natural and cultural heritage in north-eastern Sicily, as a significant case study for experimenting the application of a holistic approach (oriented towards a high quality Baukultur) to various design opportunities.